Prayer part of doctors’ practice
Half of Canadian physicians consider religion important
By Karen Pauls Special to ChristianWeek
BELLEVILLE, ON–God can heal, both spiritually and physically, and doctors can tap into his healing power through prayer therapy.
"As Christians, we believe that healing really emanates from the Spirit because Jesus said it’s the Spirit that gives life, the flesh provides nothing," said William Standish Reed at the 23rd annual Canadian conference of the Christian Medical Foundation (CMF), held in Belleville May 1-2.
Reed is a surgeon from Tampa, Florida, who founded the CMF 40 years ago because he felt a calling to bring God back into the lives of physicians and to see medicine return to its healing roots by treating the body, mind and soul.
He believes this can be achieved through Christian prayer therapy–asking God to preserve and restore the patient’s spiritual and physical health. It can be silent prayer, he says, but usually involves the doctor laying his hands on the patient while praying out loud.
About half of Canadian physicians say religion is an important part of their lives, according to an Angus Reid/Medical Post survey published in November 1997. One-quarter say they pray outside of religious services at least once a day and 55 percent consider themselves active Christians.
